Paul Ricard – Sprint Race: Christopher El Feghali wins after a thrilling finish

The new Eurocup-3 Sprint format, launched with the first of three races planned for the 2026 season, lived up to all expectations. With a reverse grid for the top twelve in qualifying, Enzo Tarnvanichkul inherited pole position.

As soon as the lights went out, chaos ensued with three drivers stalling at the back of the grid. At the front, Enzo Tarnvanichkul initially held the lead before yielding to the pressure of a particularly aggressive El Feghali, who seized the lead and never relinquished it. In the pack, Bianca Bustamante distinguished herself with a commanding overtake on the former driver of...IndyCarLinus Lundqvist.

The Sprint offers surprises at Paul Ricard

Unfortunately, the French contingent suffered a setback with the collision between Rayan Caretti and Luca Viisoreanu. The Frenchman, who sustained significant damage to his left rear tire after a spin, was forced to retire. Shortly after, Alceu Feldmann, who had been delivering a remarkable performance, also stopped on the track, bringing out the safety car with just six minutes remaining.

At the restart, only two laps under green flags remained to make the difference. The race ultimately ended under yellow flag conditions after Genaro Trappa went off the track in the final moments; the Argentinian, so close to victory, was forced to retire on the last lap.

El Feghali managed the restart perfectly to take the win ahead of Enzo Tarnvanichkul, while James Egozi confirmed his sparkling form by climbing onto the third step of the podium. This marks his second consecutive top-three finish after his victory in Race 1. The only French representative to cross the finish line, Rafael Perard, demonstrated solid consistency to secure tenth place.

While the Eurocup-3 championship has historically been dominated by the triumvirate of Campos Racing, MP Motorsport, and Palou Motorsport, the Paul Ricard circuit witnessed a refreshing change of pace. In a category where these three teams have locked down the front positions, seeing the Drivex team climb to the top step of the podium adds a welcome dose of uncertainty to the 2026 season.

Eurocup-3 – Paul Ricard (France)
Sprint Race standings

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